First off: this is no longer the Moon Rabbit restaurant. I never remembered the name. Only the location. And the bunny logo. That restaurant moved to Penn Quarter a year ago and it's been about 4 years since I last went. I didn't even think I was in a new restaurant until I couldn't find the gold rabbit logo. The interior of the two restaurants is similar enough and having rolls with salmon roe topping your honey miso butter is not far off from what you might have found eating a fried chicken dish with a subtle Vietnamese twist at Moon Rabbit.
The concept of WillowSong is nothing new: farm-to-table. But the flavors are beyond what we could of expected! The waiter explained how the chefs source their food from farms within a certain geographical radius. I definitely recommend a visit here for a special dinner that will leave you wanting to come back.
The house made milk bread was served piping hot. The aroma - as I picked one roll up - was so indicative of bread you knew you were going to enjoy. The honey miso butter was not typical, and I loved it. It had a citrusy aftertaste and was not too sweet. I didn't eat the salmon roe - mentioned earlier topping the honey miso butter - but it was an interesting juxtaposition.
The Squid Ink Oricchiette - black elbow pasta - was lovely. I asked the waiter, "Which is more popular here, the sea bass or the oricchiette?" He confidently said that if he had to choose, it would be the oricchiette and the Yelp reviews say the same. There was an inherent subtle heat and the jumbo lump crab meat was tasty. The squid ink pasta was cooked perfectly al dente and the tomato jus herb crumble was well-seasoned. The micro greens garnish added such a nice, crisp crunch. The citrus olive oil ricotta - underneath of the pasta - had a good balancing effect.
The grilled maple citrus pork chop - when featured - is a not-to-miss! The flavors were divine. You got the sweetness of the maple sauce and a really nice sear with the char-grilled aftertaste. Just the kind of flavor I look for. Cutting into the pork chop was easy as it was so tender. All of the herb and vegetable flavors in the charred gratin (Swiss chard simmered in a creamy garlic sauce) really came together for something delightful. The Swiss chard was cooked well, yet had a good crunch with a definite farm-to-table flavor, straight from the garden.
We were here on a weekend night. A rowdier after-9pm crowd formed for a televised game. I've seen it much busier here on weeknights at Moon Rabbit, before 9pm, and the waiter said the crowds here are similar. I liked that it was more bustling on the boardwalk and calmer inside of this restaurant, before the sporting event crowd around the bar. There are so many restaurants to choose from at the Wharf, and many of them are packed and touristy. When you step inside of WillowSong, there is no crowding and the environment is calm.
I would next like to try the Hamache Tartar. It is made with chili oil, preserved lemon, scallion, cashew, Eva's Garden mouse melon, serrano and cilantro.
The staff said the breakfasts at WillowSong are very popular and are from 9am to 1pm. Cornmeal pancakes? Hello. Look at the Yelp photos to see the breakfast offering deliciousness at WillowSong. If the birthday dessert that we enjoyed was any indication, I would have to believe him. It was a chocolate brownie-like pastry with granola and graham crust, flowers and fruit. The dark chocolate ganache was decadent. This was a hazelnut dessert which I would have never ordered because I find the flavor overpowering. They kindly surprised us by bringing out a dessert they chose, with a lit candle and singing. I was so glad that the hazelnut flavor was subtle and that it did not taste like a Nutella dessert. The birthday dessert was subtlety-flavored with hazelnut but chocolatey and rich, otherwise. I think there was oatmeal or granola in it. This was a decadent experience.
Love that the restaurant has margaritas and sangrias on draught. In the sangria you can find: mango purée, white wine, apple brandy and soda water. Would love to try, next time.
As much as I love the Vietnamese fusion fare at Moon Rabbit, I was equally as delighted with the more global dining experience at WillowSong. And the lovely, warm service.
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